Ouahigouya

Ouahigouya is a major northern urban centre whose recent growth has been intensified by population displacement and pressure on housing, services and infrastructure. Rapid expansion creates a particular need for roads and drainage that can connect new neighbourhoods while reducing vulnerability to flooding and extreme heat.

The Secondary Cities Urban Mobility and Development Project includes Ouahigouya among its priority cities, combining mobility investment with climate-resilient infrastructure, basic services and stronger urban-management capacity. Earlier transport and urban-infrastructure programmes also rehabilitated roads and supported local economic facilities. The city’s current challenge is therefore not only to expand services, but to use them to structure growth: connected streets, drainage and public facilities can help integrate newer settlements into a more coherent urban system.